Agree with Jeffrey Buttle's Naqoyqatsi
More Recent for men not just for choreography but for feeling it gives.
Daisuke Takahashi Garden of Souls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziQ253eUi2I Japanese Nationals 2011
Blues for Klook, Pagliacci ( purely for how he skates it with so much passion even though not fav program)
Yuzuru Hanyu Romeo&Juliet
Patrick Chan La Boheme from Rostelecom
Stephane Lambiel ne me quitte pas
Jeremy Abbott Exogenesis

Oh, golly, that Klimova/Ponomarenko program! I remember watching it during the Olympics, and it remains as sublime today as it was then. Though I was rooting for them to win, I honestly felt that any of the three couples competing could have won and I would have been satisfied. The two rivals, Usova/Zhulin and the Duchesnays, were also splendid. It was one of the best ice dance Olympics ever, in my opinion.

I find it interesting that Sergei and not Marina has a turnout. He often skates in turnout position, even doing a spreadeagle. She never does. She always stands in hold with him and has both feet pointing in the same direction. Their lifts are to die for, especially that one "pendulum" lift where she arches backwards and then spins around an axis like the hands of a clock, at last ending up lying in a straight horizontal position while he balances in an arabesque position, on one leg.

If I had magical powers, I'd love to get all my favorite ice dancers from all eras skating on the same ice, in one program. I don't care about scores or rankings; I'd just like to see them skate, two by two. I guess that's what YouTube is for.

I find it interesting that Sergei and not Marina has a turnout. He often skates in turnout position, even doing a spreadeagle. She never does. She always stands in hold with him and has both feet pointing in the same direction. Their lifts are to die for, especially that one "pendulum" lift where she arches backwards and then spins around an axis like the hands of a clock, at last ending up lying in a straight horizontal position while he balances in an arabesque position, on one leg.

In terms of ice dance, is one position more difficult or more correct? I think sublime is a perfect word for their program. As far the 1992 Olympics go, I thought U&Z's "Four Seasons" was brilliant. Perhaps more than any other ice dance team of that era, I can picture U&Z just as comfortable on the stage as the ice. They had a wonderful balletic quality to their skating. I really do like the Duchesnays, but their program that year was not in the same league as K&P or U&Z. Now, had they skated to "Missing" that year, that would be an ice dance event for the ages.

I find it interesting that Sergei and not Marina has a turnout. He often skates in turnout position, even doing a spreadeagle. She never does. She always stands in hold with him and has both feet pointing in the same direction.

Originally Posted by lulu

In terms of ice dance, is one position more difficult or more correct?

I'm not sure what Olympia is referring to -- free leg position, or turnout with both feet on the ice (spread eagles and Ina Bauers), which are kind of novelty moves because not everyone is anatomically equipped to do them -- the turnout needs to be pretty close to 180 degrees, more for outside edges, because of the fact that the blades will only glide along the line of the foot, not an angle..

Good alignment is good alignment, attractive positions are attractive positions, and will be rewarded as such. Good technique per se is mostly about what the blades are doing on the ice.

As far the 1992 Olympics go, I thought U&Z's "Four Seasons" was brilliant. Perhaps more than any other ice dance team of that era, I can picture U&Z just as comfortable on the stage as the ice. They had a wonderful balletic quality to their skating. I really do like the Duchesnays, but their program that year was not in the same league as K&P or U&Z. Now, had they skated to "Missing" that year, that would be an ice dance event for the ages.

I loved all three of the medal-winning programs in 1992. I don't know why I seem to be the only one who liked that West Side Story program from the Duchesnays. I liked Rahkomo & Kokko's free dance that year also.

Some of my favorite European men's programs from the 1990s, with good concepts, originality, interesting use of the body and blades between the elements, good phrasing to the music . . . some of these guys also have good body line, but I consider that more an aspect of the execution than the choreography: